Current implantable cardiac electrotherapy leads (e.g., cardiac resynchronization therapy (“CRT”) leads, bradycardia leads, tachycardia leads) utilize crimp connectors to transition from conductor cables to welded joints at the electrodes or shock coils. Such transitions are excessively expensive to create for a number of reasons. First, each transition employs a relatively expensive crimp connector individually cut using a wire electrical discharge machining process.
Second, the process for creating the transition is labor intensive. To achieve adequate electrical contact between a crimp connector and the conductive core of a cable conductor, insulation must be removed from the cable conductor where the crimp connector will be crimped onto the cable conductor.
Third, difficulty associated with the process of creating the transition results in substantial scrap. Crimp connectors may be unidirectional and are often reversed when crimped onto the cable conductor, resulting in the scrapping of the crimp connector and the cable conductor. The configuration of the crimp connector requires relatively tight tolerances for fit and placement of the crimp connector relative to a shock coil when undergoing welding. Failure to satisfy the tight tolerances can result in a weak weld between the crimp connector and the shock coil, or welding can burn a hole through the connector again requiring the lead to be scrapped.
There is a need in the art for a crimp connector that reduces the costs associated with connecting a cable conductor to a lead shock coil. There is also a need in the art for a method of employing such a crimp connector in connecting a cable conductor to a lead shock coil.